Jan. 25, 2011
Joshua Buck
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
jbuck@nasa.gov
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-016
NASA MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT ENDS FEB. 11
WASHINGTON -- The deadline for media accreditation for the February
space shuttle launch to the International Space station ends on Feb.
11. Shuttle Discovery and six astronauts are targeted to launch on
the STS-133 mission on Feb. 24 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida.
Reporters must apply for credentials to attend the launch or cover the
mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, reporters must
work for verifiable newsgathering organizations. No substitutions of
credentials are allowed at any NASA facility.
The 11-day mission will be the 35th flight to the station and the 39th
and final scheduled flight for Discovery. The mission will deliver
and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module; the Express Logistics
Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment; and
critical spare components for the station. Discovery also will
deliver Robonaut 2, or R2, to become a permanent resident of the
station as the first human-like robot in space.
NASA's Office of Protective Services has changed its policy for
processing foreign nationals. All journalists who are lawful
permanent U.S. residents, have dual U.S. citizenship or are U.S.
citizens representing international media outlets will have their
credential applications processed in the same way as U.S. citizens
who represent domestic media.
Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by
journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries
include those with which the U.S. has no diplomatic relations,
countries on the State Department's list of state sponsors of
terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo and countries
associated with proliferation concerns.
Contact the accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should
confirm accreditation before traveling.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Accreditation for the STS-133 mission badges remains open. Mission
badges previously issued for Discovery's first launch attempt in
November 2010 are valid.
Reporters applying for credentials at Kennedy should submit requests
via the Web at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when
applying. Applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail when
accreditation approved.
Accredited media representatives with mission badges will have access
to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. The
application deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters
requesting credentials. Reporters with special logistic requests for
Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical
connections or workspace, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger by Feb.
11 at:
laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov.
Wireless Internet access is available at Kennedy's news center.
Workspace in the news center and the news center annex is provided on
a first-come basis, limited to one space per organization. To set up
temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media
representatives must arrange with BellSouth at 800-213-4988.
Reporters must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to
setting up lines.
To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at:
patricia.christian-1@nasa.gov.
Journalists must have a public affairs escort to all other areas of
Kennedy except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston by calling the center's newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by
presenting STS-133 mission credentials from Kennedy.
Media representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson
need to apply for credentials only at the center. The application
deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters requesting
credentials.
Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy
credentials must contact the center's newsroom by Feb. 11 to arrange
workspace, phone lines and other logistics.
Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at
NASA's White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at
White Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
Notice for a shuttle landing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
in Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short. Domestic
media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel
who could travel quickly to Dryden.
Deadlines for submitting Dryden accreditation requests are Jan. 28 for
non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and March 1 for U.S. media
who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic
media outlets must provide their full name, date of birth, place of
birth, media organization, driver's license number with the name of
the issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security
number.
In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives,
regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their
citizenship, visa or passport number and its expiration date. Foreign
nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who have
permanent residency status must provide their alien registration
number and expiration date.
Journalists should e-mail requests to: DrydenPAO@nasa.gov.
Requests must include a phone number and business e-mail address for
follow-up contact. Journalists who previously requested credentials
for this mission will not need to do so again.
NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:
Kennedy Space Center: Allard Beutel, 321-867-2468,
allard.beutel@nasa.gov
Johnson Space Center: Kylie Clem, 281-483-5111, kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov
Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893,
leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov
For information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For information about the STS-133 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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